Younger Sister | Ninjago

Chapter 61 - Holidays

I think this may be the last chapter, it's a sorta open ending, might add onto later, but I would be happy with this as an ending.

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Lucy wasn't surprised a few days later when newspapers came out with articles about how the Ninja had handled yet another threat.

She had just gotten money sent to her account via check due to her job. She finally could invest in an apartment with confidence that she wouldn't go broke immediately. Her therapist — online and who she had just started seeing — had suggested that a stable home would do her good.

Lucy was sitting in her own window, a smile on her face as winter finally came and snow was dusting Ninjago City. She held a mug in her hand and it was filled with steaming tea.

Her phone buzzed on the desk near her, her smile wasn't deterred as she reached blindly for it. She barely looked at the caller ID and answered it.

Her greeting was cheery but robotic, an instinctive greeting you'd expect from a retail or restaurant worker who took care of the phone.

"Hey Lucy, it's Nya. Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. Lloyd told us about you showing up at the swamp."

Lucy's smile faded a little. "Oh. I'm doing fine. I'm doing my own thing, ya know... taking pictures, chatting with people, attending weddings and hiding in bushes to capture moments. The norm."

Nya laughed lightly. "Glad to hear you're doing well..."

Silence fell and Lucy sighed.

"Is there any specific reason to why you're calling me? I figured I made it clear that I needed space, Nya. You guys needed to be away from me."

"Well — Yes... actually, it's cause of Christmas coming up." Lucy looked out her window again, the lights and evergreens lining the streets. Christmas had been in the corporate world for a couple weeks now. "We wanted to see if maybe you'd like to join us for it. Lloyd was going to call but between me, him, Jay, and Zane, we figured it may be better for me to call..."

Lucy glanced at the coffee shop calendar on her wall, she'd been given it by one of the baristas at her favorite cafe when she told them she finally got an apartment. She hadn't any plans yet but she made it clear that she would be available to be hired that day... she can always change that. After all she was basically self-employed. The wonders of freelancing.

"I..."

It's not to say that Lucy didn't want to, more if she wasn't sure she could face them. After nearly killing them all, she couldn't...

"Lucy — I hate to say it this way, but we're not the ones who asked for space."

Lucy sighed. "Alright, okay. Christmas Eve and morning or just Christmas Day?"

"Are you up for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?"

Lucy could do that. She nodded subconsciously. "Yeah, yeah I can do that. Where? Want me to just show up at your floating island?"

"Sure, I'll let them know you agreed. I can't wait to see you again, Lucy. I... We missed you a lot, you know? Believe it or not, we care about you."

Lucy hummed, a voice whispered in the back of her mind that Nya was lying but she shoved it away. That voice was nothing more than her own insecurities taking precedence and it was infuriating.

"... Okay, see you later Nya."

"See you later, Lucy."

Lucy hung up, she propped her chin on her knees as she stared at the falling snowflakes.